Menino, Celtics honor officers in Dudley Square shooting

With the Celtics game underway at the FleetCenter Monday night, Mayor Thomas Menino honored the seven police officers who caught the man suspected of killing one man and wounding four others in a Dudley Square shooting on Nov. 5.

‘These brave officers responded to the sound of gunfire and pursued the subject,’ said the public address announcer during the ceremony. ‘Officer [Adam] Gill seized [the suspect’s] gun while the other officers subdued the suspect. Through the heroic actions of these officers, many lives were saved.’

On a Wednesday afternoon a few weeks ago, Lamar Tillery of Roxbury allegedly went on a shooting rampage, killing Charles Johnson, a tap dancer, and wounding four others at the Dudley Square bus station in Roxbury.

Four Boston police officers and three Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police officers were honored at the ceremony Monday night for catching and subduing the suspect.

‘These officers do their job everyday,’ Menino said after the ceremony. ‘They’re out there walking the fine line between a city that works and a city of chaos, and it’s time to [recognize them] as heroes. Even though they don’t consider themselves to be heroes, they are,’ he said.

‘It’s an honor for the Celtics to be bringing us our award,’ said Boston Police Sergeant John Danilecki, one of the officers recognized. ‘We were doing our job, we just happen to be brought to attention because of the tragedy, because it is a tragedy. Don’t forget, five people were shot.’

Tuesday’s ceremony was part of a series of dedications called Heroes Among Us, sponsored by the Celtics and held during home games.

‘The Heroes Among Us award is presented at each home game to an individual or individuals who, through their unique commitment and humanitarian spirit, have made exceptional and lasting contributions to our community,’ according to a statement from the Celtics.